MANILA – The Filipina domestic worker who was slain allegedly by her own employers in Kuwait last December also suffered sexual abuse, based on an autopsy conducted by the National Bureau of Investigation.
Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra said “there were clear indications” that Jeanelyn Villavende was sexually abused. There were also old healed wounds on Villavende’s body, which indicated that she was “battered weeks prior” to her death, Guevarra added, citing NBI’s autopsy report.
The formal report will be submitted to his office today, Guevarra said.
Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III has said he doubted the credibility of Kuwaiti forensic doctors, who sent a two-sentence report of their autopsy saying Villavende died of “physical injuries.”
Because of the “false” autopsy report, Bello said he would recommend to the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) a permanent deployment ban of household service workers to Kuwait, promising to deliver justice for Villavende.
A partial deployment ban there is currently in place.
The suspect in Villavende’s slay was already in the custody of Kuwaiti authorities, Philippine officials earlier said. (With ABS-CBN News/PN)
